Apparatus for making and securing box lids and bottoms.



W. R.-COM|NGS & E. J. HALL. APPARATUS FOR MAKING AND SECURING BOX LIDS AND BOTTOMS.

' APPLICATION FILED NOV- s. I914.

1,221,835. Patentd Apr. 10, 1917.

I SHEETS-SHEET I.

w. 8. comes a E, J. HALL.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING AND SECURING BOX L IDS AND BOTTOMS.

-' APPLICATION FILED NOV. 5, 1.914.

1.221.835. Patented Apr. 10,1917.

7 SHEETS-:SHEET 2.

W. "R. COMINGS & E. J. HALL.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING AND SECURING BOX LIDS AND BOTTOM S. APPLICATION FILED NOV- 5. 1914.

1,221,835. Patented Apr. 10, 1917.

1 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

W. R. C0M1NGS & E. J. HALL.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING AND SECURING BOX LIDS AND BOTTOMS'. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 5, 1914.

1,221,835. Patented Apr. 10,1917.

1 sums-sun 4.

W. R. COMINGS &E. J'. HALL.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING AND SECURI NG BOX LIDS AND BOTTOMS.

APPLlCATION FILED NOV. 5. 1914.

1,$521,835. Patented Apr. 10, 1917.

I SHEETS-SHEET 5.

W. R. COMINGS & E. J. HALL.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING AND SECURING BOX LIDS A'ND BOTTOMS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 5. 1914.

1,221,835. I. Patented Apr. 10, 1917.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 6- Fla/.5.

W. R. COMINGS & E. J. HALL. APPARATUS FOR MAKING AND SECURING BOX LIDS AND BOTTOMS. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 5, 1914.

1,221,835. Patented Apr. 10, 1917.

7 SHEETS-SHEET I.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM RIGHTEB COMINGS,, F WHARNCLIFFE, WIMBLEDON PARK, AND EDWARD JOHN HALL, OF GATFORD, ENGLAND. I

APPARATUS FOR MAKING AND SECURING BOX LIDS AND BOTTOMS.

To all whom it may concern:

Commas, of Wharnclifle, Wimbledon Park,

Surrey, England, engineer. and EDWARD JOHN HALL, of 15 Lutwyche Road, Qatford, Kent, England;- engineer, the former .a citizen of the United States, the latter agcitizen oi England, have invented certain new and .useful Improvements in and Conneet'ediwith 'Apparatus for Making and- Securing Box Lids and Bottoms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for applying thelids or bottoms (hereinafter called lids) to box bodies' or canisters and securing such lids thereto.

It has heretofore been pi o'posed in paper or like flexible material to apply and secure the lid to the box body by rolling over the end of the latter and causing same to en,- gage with the dished lid and practically welding the two parts togethenand this end has heretofore been secured by the use of a series of hand machines involving separate handling and comparatively slow production.

The present: invention relates to an autoniatic machine by means of which the dished lid, separately made, or made in the machine from a continuous strip, is placed in, or over a box body and the two compressed and welded together by a series of operations, the machine being adapted to opcrate on a series of box bodies fed thereto.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood, assume that it is desired to make a lid such as illustrated in figures of Comingss British specification No. 654A of 1908. as from such description the application of the invention for applying and securing other shaped box lids or for treating other flexible material than paper will be readily understood.

To secure the above ends it is proposed to employin connection with the machine a series of mandrels which may be solid or have solid heads carried on recessed spindles or said mandrels may be of an expanding type. Such mandrels are carried on base pieces adapted to contact one with the other and travel in a circular or oval raceway around and on the bedplate of the machine. If expanding mandrels are employed then means must be provided for both expanding Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Apr. 10, 191 '7.

Application filed November 5, 1914. Serial No. 876,501.

is the part of the body to be turned in extends above the top of the mandrel. The mandrelbeing then fed forward comes under the lid producing die plunger (hereafter referred to as a sub-press), the lid being out or-cut and stamped from a continuous strip (unless separately made) 'is dished and forced down bythe plunger into the box body, the plunger retiring, the mandrel is then fed beneath the next die which rolls the box body over the up-turned edge of the lid,-

the upturned edge of the lid being thus inserted in and held to the rolled over portion ofthe box body, the mandrel being again fed forward. The next operation is that a series of expanding andcontracting dies come into action together with a suitable plunger adapted to applypressure and moldthe box body and the lid into the desired locked position. the pressure of said dies bemg exerted against the plunger and mandrel.

Then if desired the next forward step of the mandrel may bring the completed lid beneath a secondsub-press for a further pres sure or under the operation of a labeling machine, or both, and the mandrel being eontracted by suitable mechanism the box is removed "from the mandrel as acompleted article.

It will be evident that to secure the foregoing results great accuracy of movement of the mandrels is required. They may be fed forward by a sprocket or like Wheel and a band or other brake may be provided to prevent overthrow, but' even this may be'insuificient to secure absolute accuracy of feed, but the latter may be obtained by means of a locking bolt which may be -a tapered wedge reciprocated between the mandrels as the latter come under the dies, it being understood that the bases of the mandrels are alits ways in contact. The machine is preferably arranged so that one stroke of the press operating the dies produces the finished box.

To enable the invention to be fully understood it will now be described by reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure l is a front elevation of a machine ,constructed according to one form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the right hand side of the machine looking in the direction of the arrow 0 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is-an elevationof the left hand side of the machine looking in the direction of the arrow b in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4; is a plan view of the raceway and mandrels of the machine, and i Fig. 5 is a section on the line; i with the mandrels and certain jother portions of the mechanism removed;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line (ii-G Fig. 4,

Fig. 7 is a detail of a cam show in Fig. 6,

Figs. 8 and 9 are part sectional elevations drawn to a larger scale of the xpanding mandrels which are used in the machine. Fig. 8 showin the mandrel unexpanded and Fig. 9 expan ed.

Figs..10, 11, 12 are part sectional views also drawn to a larger scale showing the operations of the various dies in forming fitting and securing the box lids or bottoms.

Fig. 13 is a part sectional view of the die shown in Fig. 12, in its raised position show ing the action of the stripper mechanism.

Figs. 14 and 15 are more or less diagram matic views partly in section and drawn to a larger scale of the die portions of the machine showing the various operations performed in making fitting and securing the box lids or bottoms.

Fig. 16 is a sectional view to an enlarged scale of one form of rolled over joint for securing a blHIlK to a box body, which the machine is adapted to form.

As shown the machine comprises a frame 1 supporting a raceway 2 in which a series of mandrels 3 for the box bodies are driven intermittently beneath reciprocating dies 4, 5. These dies 4, 5. are carried on a slide 6. working in guides T and reriproeated against the action of a spring (not shown) by the cam 8 on a shaft geared to the main shaft 9 of the machine. which latter shaft is power driven through the pulleys 10.

The mandrels employed are preflu'ably" of an expanding type and as shown in Figs: 8 and 9 each comprisesa split cylinder 3 mounted on a base. plate ll and normally held, by springs 12 in grooves 13, closed upon a central wedge M '(Fig. 8). The wedge 14 is so shaped that when forced down as in Fig. 9 it causes the split mandrel to expand. A box body 15 is shown slipped over the contracted mandrel in Fig.

5-5 Fig.

a locking bolt 27 slidably mounted in a guide 8, while in Fig. 9 the mandrel is expanded to hold the box body 15 firmly.

Referring to Figs. l and 5, a series of mandrels 3 are mounted in the raceway 2 with their bases touching, said bases engaging beneath guides 16. The mandrels are moved along the raceway in the direction of the arrow 0 by a sprocket wheel 17 on a of the mandrels a wheel 25 on the shaft 18 is fitted with a band brake .26. In order to hold the mandr'els firmly during the periods of rest when the various dies are operating,

28'is reciprocated across the raceway at each stroke of the pawl 20 by a connecting rod 29 secured to a pin on the crank suitably operated from the main shaft 9. The nose of the bolt 27 projects between the bases of the two inandrels adjacent the dies (Fig. 4) and wedges them firmly.

As the mandrels more along the raceway the box bodies are slipped over them by hand and the first operation of the machine is to expand the mandrels. To this end a spring pressed plunger 31 (Figs. 3, 15, 14) is reciprocated at each stroke of the mesa by a. cam 32 on a shaft 33 driven from the shaft 24 by a belt or chain as shown. This plunger 31 is caused to press the central wedge of each mandrel passing beneath forcing said wedge downward and expanding the mandrel. The lower end of the wedge 14 then projects beneath the base plate 11 (Fig. 9) and this projecting end is provided with a beveled head 34 which at the point D (Fig. 4) engages beneath guide strips 35 which insure that the wedge remains projected during the travel of the mandrel beneath the dies. These guide strips 35 terminate at the point E (Fig 4). After all the dies have operated on a box body it is necessary to remove the finished article from the mandrel. and for this pur-- pose the mandrel must be contracted. To this end an inclined portion 36 is provided (Fig. 5) transversely on the raceway and in the path of the wedges 14. The projecting ends of the wedges 14 'ride up this'incline PM and are forced back into their respective n'landrels, contracting same.

disk 30 (.oi'iperating with the. reciprocating dies cam 41. The cam 41 is carried on a shaft 42 oscillated'by a connecting rod 43 attached to' a crank 44. The crank 44 is connected to a rod 45 the upper end of which is provided with aslot 46 in which the shaft 24 works, and also a roller 47 the latter engaging with the interior" of a hollow cam 48 on the The die 5 is provided with a central portion-100 which is slidable in the outer por- 'tion and acts as a stop to prevent the roll formed by the die 4 from spreading toward the center under the action of the dies 37 and also as'a stripper or means for preventing the sticking of the article to the die when the latter rises. The central portion 100 is carried on the rod 101 slidahly mounted in the sleeve 102 and is provided with a circumferential groove 103 in which pins 104 in the outer die portion engage The top of the rod 101 is weighted by means of central portion 100 is pressed firmlyon to- 4 v a bar 105 pivoted to any suitable portion of the lid and acts to keep the roller portion thereof in its correct position during the operation of the dies 37. When this operation is completed the die rises, the central portion however being held firmly against the box lid by means of the bar 105 pressing on the rod 101, the pins 104 riding in the groove 103. W hen the pins 104 meet the upper edge of the groove 103 the central portion 100 is lifted together with the outer.

portion of the die. This method of raising the die minimizes the danger of the article sticking to the die. Should by any chance however the article stick to and be carried up with the die, their the endof the bar '105 will strike the screw 108 at the topmost point of the travelof the die and will'eause the central portion 100 to be projected as shown in Fig. 13 thus shaking oil the article.

In the machine illustrated means are provided for automatically cutting' 'oiijt and forming the lid blank and introducing same into the box bodies. It isto be understood,

however, that the lids may be prepared and fed into thebox bodies by hand and the machine illustrated may be in certain cases advantageously used without this automatic lidforming and feeding feature. I

In the present machine the cardboard. or other material from which-the lid blanks are to be formed is fed transversely of the raceout a blank 97.

i The i operation of this arrangement is as folway 2 from a stock roll (not shown) between two pairs of horizontal feed rollers 49, 50.

The top rollers of each pair are provided with ratchet wheels 51 intermittently operated by pawls 52 connected together by a link 52 and operated by a connecting rod 53 p attached to a crank p inon a disk 54 on the driven shaft The arrangement is such that at each stroke of the pawls 52 suliicient material is fed beneath. the cutting and drawing dies to form a lid blank.

These cutting and drawing dies are shown in Figs. 14 and 15 (herein referred to as a sub-press) and comprise, a tubular cutting die 55 of the requisite size slidably mounted in a block 56 and reciprocated by means of a pair of eccentrics 57 on the shaft 33, and a drawing die 58 in the base of the block 56 which cooperates with the cutting die to out When the blank 97 has been cuta plunger 58? slidab'ly mounted within the cutter 55 and attached to a crank 59011 the shaft 33 is reciprocated and forces the blank through the die 58 and places it in the box body onthe mandrel waiting; beneath.

The combined action of the plunger and drawing die causes the edges of the lid blank to be upturned. The box body with the lid blank in this position (Fig. 10) is now c'ar- Eied on at the next stroke of the press to the Referring more particularly to F igs. 10 to 15 the operation of the dies 4 and 5 and of the machine generally is as follows The box bodies such as 15 are slipped over the uuexpanded mandrelsB with a suflicient portion of the body standing up above the top if the mandrel. Considering a single man rel ad acent the plunger 31:At the firststroke of the machine this mandrel is carried underthe plunger 31 which descends and expands it. The next stroke brings the mandrel under the cutter 55 and plunger 58 and a dished lid blank 97 is inserted in the box body and pushed home on to the top bf the mandrel (Fig. 10). The next" stroke brings the mandrel under the die 4 which de' Scends and rolls in the edges of the box body 15 and thus inserts and holds the lid blank 97 to the rolled over portion of the box body as shown in Fig. 11. y

The next stroke brings the'mandrel under the die 5 which descends and simultaneously the four expanding and contracting dies 3 close in on and completely encircle the box body and die 5 completing the turning in of the edges of the body and lid blank and forclng and molding the material into recesses 59 in the dies 37 forming a thickened flange or rim onthe box body and making a dovetail lock as can be clearly seen in Fig. 16;

Any of these dies maybe heated or not as desired. Thelid isnow secured and the next stroke of the machine retracts the'dies 37 and carries the mandrel with the completed lid away from the dies and when desired to a second sub-press for giving extra pressure and for labeling.

At the subsequent stroke the mandrel is contracted as hereinbefore described and the finished article is removed by hand and a fresh body placed on the mandrel. It will be understood that the lockingbolt 27 operates also to lock the mandrels at each stroke of the machine. Further, at each stroke of the machine a mandrel is being operated on by each of the dies, as the actions of all the dies are simultaneous. It follows that at every stroke of the machine when running continuously a finished article is produced.

The machine illustrated may be provided with any suitable clutch or starting and stopping gear and with clutch or other mechanism for disconnecting the automatic 20' lid blank making and inserting portion thereof if desired. Although the machine is shown as producing a circular lid or bottom and applying same to a cylindrical body, it will be obvious that any desired shape of lid anchbody may be employed.

In order to form boxes of ditfer nt sizes stop rings may be slipped over the mandrels the ends of the box bodies then resting on the rings. Thus boxes of different heights may be formed.

Instead of using an expanding mandrel as herein described a bobbin shaped solid mandrel may be employed. The top of the mandrel being accurately shaped, and it has been found in practice that if the box bodies are slipped over such mandrels they will be suliiciently firmly and accurately held during the operation of the various dies. It will be understood that the machine above described may be provided with dies and mandrels or the like suitable for making boxes or lids from any desired shapv of body and blank and with any desired roll over lock joint or other joint with or with out a flange.

Further, the machine has'bccn described and illustrated as forming box lids or bottoms from a dished blank. The machine, however, may be utilized for example for securiug a plain blank lid or bottom to a box body without the use of a dished portion. In this case for example the. dies may be so arranged that a ridge. or shoulder is formed at a suitable point on the body upon which the lid or bottom blank rests. thefportion of the body above the blank being rolled over on to tllc blank so that the latter is held in place between the ridge or shoulder and said rolled over portion.

Again the various dics are shown as oper ating vertically, thcy may of course be arranged to operate horizontally or in any other desired position. the other parts of the machine. being suitably arranged.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is 1. Means for supporting and successively presenting box blanks to a plurality of mech-' operation of said mechanisms, said ho ding means comprising a shiftable member and means for projecting said member between and into contact with two adjacent man duels.

2. Means for supporting and successively presenting box blanks to a plurality of mechanisms for operating thereon comprising an endless raceway, a plurality of mandrels providcd with bases guided in said raceway so that each base is normally in contact with another base, and means for intermittently advancing said mandrels comprising an intermittently rotated sprocket wheel, the teeth of which are adapted to extend between adjacent mandrels.

3. Means for supporting and successively presenting box blanks to a plurality of mechanisms for operating thereon, comprising an endless raceway, a plurality of mandrels'provided with bases guided in said raceway so that each base is normally in contact with another base, and means for intermittently advancing said mandrels comprising an intermittently. rotated sprocket wheel, the teeth of which are adapted to ex- .tend between adjacent mandrels, and a brake for controlling the rotation of the sprocket wheel.

4. Means for-supporting and successively presenting box blanks to a plurality of operative mechanisms comprising an endless raceway, a plurality of'mandrels provided with bases guided m said raceway so that each base is normally in contact with another base, means for intermittently advancing said mandrels comprising an -iutermit-' tently rotated sprocket whee the teeth of which are adapted to extend-between aphacent mafifdrels, and means for positively holding the mandrels stationary durin thev operation of said mechanisms, said ho di means comprising a. shiftable member an means for projecting said member between and into contact with two adjacent mandrels. 5. Means for sup )orting and successively presenting box blan s to a plurality of .0 r-

ative mechanisms arranged in a strcight iuo ,I

comprising an endless raceway provided with a straight line portion adjacent said mechanisms, a plurality of mandrels provided with bases guided in said racewa so that each base is normally incpntact Wi another base, and means for intermittently advancing said mandrels comprising an in mechanisms for operating thereon comprising an expansible mandrel provided with a longitudinally movable wedge shaped mem-' ber normally permitting the contraction of said mandrel, but adapted when operated to cause the expansion thereof, means for intermittently advancing said mandrel, a reciprocating plunger adapted to operate said I Wedge shaped member to expand the mandrel prior to the operation of said mechanisms, and means located ad acent the path 'of travel of the mandrel for retaining said wedge shaped member 1n operative position during the operation of I said mechanisms and for restoring said member after the operation of said mechanisms, to permit the contraction of the mandrel.

7. Means for supporting and successively presenting box blanks to a plurality of mechanisms for operating thereon comprising a raceway and an expansiblc mandrel provided with a base guided in said raceway and with a longitudinally movable Wedge shaped member normally permitting the contraction of said mandrel, but adapted when operated to cause the expansion thereof, means for intermittently advancing said" mandrel, a reciprocating plunger adapted to operate said wedge shaped member to expand the mandrel prior to the operation of said mechanisms, and means located adjacent said raceway for retaining said Wedge shaped member in operative position during the operation of said mechanisms and for restoring said member after the operation of said mechanisms to permit the contraction of the mandrel.

8. in a device of the character described, the combination of a mandrel adapted to support a box body having a dished lid inserted in the end thereof, means for rolling the edges of the box body over the edges of the, lid, and a reciprocating die adapted to cooperate with said mandrel to mold together the edges of the box body and lid, said'die being provided with a shiftable cen tral portion adapted to hold the rolled over edgesin position during the operation of the die and to strip the box from the die" after the completion of such operation.

9. In a device of the character described,

the combination of a mandrel adapted to support a box. body having a dished lid inserted in the end thereof, means for rolling the edges of the box body over the edges of the lid, a reciprocating die adapted to co:

. operate with said mandrel to mold together the edges of the box body and lid, said die I being provided with a shiftable central portionadapted to hold the rolled over edges support a box body, means for uptnrning the edges of a lid and inserting it into the end of the:box body, a reciprocating die adapted to rfoll the edges of the box body over the edges of the lid,'a second reciprocating die adapted to cooperate with the mandrel'to mold together the edges of the box body, and means for advancing the mandrel to successively present the box body'and applied lid to said reciprocating dies.

11. In a device of the kind described, the combination of a mandrel adapted to support a box body, means for upturning the edges of the lid and inserting it in the end of the box body, a reciprocating die adapted to roll the edges of the box body over the edges of the lid, a second reciprocating die adapted to codperate with the mandrel to mold together the edges of the bM-body and lid,

the box body, a reciprocating die adapted to roll the edges of the box body over the edges of the lid, a second reciprocating die adapted to coiiperate with the mandrel to mold together the edges of the box body and lid,

'means to advance said mandrel to successively present said box body and applied lid to said reciprocating dies, said second die being provided with a shiftable central portion adapted to strip the box from the die after the molding operation, and means to positively move said member to insure said stripping action.

13. In a device of the character described, the combination of a mandrel adapted to support the box body having a dished lid inserted in the end thereof, shiftable die members adapted to surround said mandrel and box body, means for shifting said die members to press the box body against the \and' means to advance said mandrel to sucmandrel, and a reciprocating die adapted to coiiperate with said mandrel and die-members to mold together the edges of the box body and lid.

14. In a device of the character described, the combination of a mandrel adapted to support thebox body having a dished lid inserted in the end thereof, shiftable die members adapted to surround said mandrel and box body, means for Shifting said die members to press the box body against the mandrel, and a reciprocating die adapted to cooperate with said mandrel and die members to mold together the edges of the box body and lid, said shiftable die mem-. bers being provided with a peripheral-recess whereby a flange is formed on the exteri r of the box during the molding operation.

15. In a device of the character described, the combination of a mandrel adaptedto support a box bodychaving a dished lid inserted in the end thereof, shiftable die members adapted to surround said mandrel and box body, means for shifting said die members to press the box body against the mandrel, and a reciprocating die adapted to cooperate with said mandrel and die members to mold together the edges of the box body and lid. said reciprocating die being provided with a shiftable central portion adapted to hold the rolled over edges in position during the operation of the shiftable die members.

16. In a device of the character described,

a combination of a mandrel adapted to support a box body havin a dished lid inserted in the end thereof, siiftable die members adapted to surround said mandrel and box body, means for shifting said die members to press the box body against the mandrel, a reciprocating die adapted to cooperate with said mandrel and die members to mold together the edges of the box body and lid, said reciprocating die being provided with a shiftabie central portion adapted to hold the rolled over ages in position during the operation of the shiftable die members and to strip the box from the reciprocating die after the molding operation, and means to positively move said shiftable portion relatively to the reciprocating die to insure such stripping action.

In testimony whereof We afiix our signatures m presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM RIGHTER COMINGS. EDWARD J OHN HALL. v c lVitnesses: O. J. Woa'rn, A. No'rmvo. 

